Established in 2006 by veteran investigative reporter Lowell Bergman, the IRP evolved from a single seminar to encompass a nonprofit newsroom, an annual symposium, multiple courses and a post-graduate fellowship program, among other initiatives. Through its teaching-hospital model, students gain practical experience in breaking major stories for some of the nation’s foremost print and broadcast outlets. The IRP also works closely with students to develop and publish their own work.

The IRP has been a pioneer in the collaborative production of award-winning investigative reporting on multiple platforms. This innovation, now commonplace in the news business, has been recognized with the highest honors in journalism. The program’s work has made it a model for nonprofit journalism based at a college or university that has been replicated around the world.

The IRP has produced and contributed to dozens of groundbreaking stories for broadcast, print and online outlets. Its work has appeared on PBS FRONTLINE, Univision, NPR and PBS NewsHour and in publications such as The New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, The Guardian, Mother Jones and The Atlantic, among others.